This is a really last minute notice, but some friends and I are doing a photowalk tomorrow (7/24/10) in Sierra Madre (see map below). We’re meeting at 7am. If you’re available and awake, come on down! You don’t even need to own a camera, it will be fun just walking around.

Why is this considered “rogue?” On that same day there is an official World Wide Photowalk going on. I did officially request to lead a group. However, I was neither denied nor granted permission to do so. For various reasons we’ve decided to proceed with our photowalk anyway. I know, we’re bad people. Don’t judge too harshly. We mean no disrespect to the official photowalk and hopefully rejoin the fold next year. It’s not them, it’s not us, it’s the system.

No RSVP necessary. If you’re late, I suspect we’ll be easy to find.

Edit: Here’s a link to the images I took at last year’s official photowalk: Pasadena Photo Walk

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Los Angeles is typically NOT the place you go if you intend to (legally) celebrate Independence Day with anything that even remotely resembles a firework. However, the city of Alhambra is one of the few cities in the county that matches are legal. As far as I can tell, as long as your firework isn’t being launched into the air, you’re safe!

Lucky for us, Marie’s brother lives in Alhambra. So we spent the evening enjoying ourselves in a way that most of LA county cannot. The kids enjoyed lighting things on fire while I enjoyed myself with some interesting photographic lighting challenges. Below are the results of both. I apologize for the length. This post is a little longer than most. I was very pleased with the work I did. For the whole series of images:Independence Day Party Pictures

A bird moved into our house about the same time we did. She (I assume it was a she) spent a ton of time working on the above nest. We (excluding our cat) are good people and left her alone. A few weeks after the nest was completed, we stopped seeing her. We didn’t think too much of it until last weekend when I decided to take down the vacant nest. To my surprise…

There were eggs in it still!

It had been so long since the Mom was last seen that I knew the poor little guys had died. Throwing the nest away felt wrong, but that’s about all we could do in this situation. Considering our grim options, Marie decided that at the very least, I needed to take a picture of them. So here they are, all cute and seemingly full of potential. I know that’s not the reality of things, but suspension of reality is one thing nice about a photograph.

The next time you’re encountered with a situation like this, take a picture! Better yet, hire me to take it for you!

For the curious, here’s the technical details:
I placed the nest in one of our bushes, and lit it from camera left. I used the SB-900 with a full cut CTO through a Westcott Micro Apollo (mini softbox). I triggered it with a pocketwizard. Minimal post production work, contrast/vibrance, that’s about it.

That title’s a stretch. I don’t know any rich photographers personally. But time is money and this is a time saving post. So the title MIGHT be true. I know the opposite is true. Shooting in automatic has made me NOT-rich. I believe more science is required to prove it either way.

For those of you that are photographers, were you drawn to this expensive hobby because you like to edit photos or because you like to take pictures? I’m guessing the vast majority of you prefer shooting over sitting in front of a computer. That’s certainly true for me.

Something I’ve unwittingly discovered through my experience of building a photography business is that if I shoot more consistently, my editing time is reduced significantly. REALLY significantly. If I shoot manual, use a specific white balance and ISO (and don’t change their respective settings) then all of my images will have the same characteristics (good or bad). The exposure, color and noise will all be the same. I can then correct or enhance large groups of images in one motion in Lightroom (with the possible exception of cropping and straightening). I’ve done portrait sessions that take all of 20 minutes to edit. Conversely, I’ve shot events in aperture priority that required multiple hours to correct what the camera thought was the proper exposure.

Shooting manual may not always be the best approach. But if you have the option of shooting manual, the improvement in editing time is a good reason to choose it over aperture or shutter priority. The point is to lock down as many variables as you can. You drive the camera, don’t let it drive you. Your reward is faster editing. Just think, if you choose the wrong settings, you might not have ANY good pictures! Zero editing time! How awesome would that be?! No need to thank me, I’m just paying it forward.

Twiggy’s been in three recitals for her preschool. Although she’s participated in only one. The other two she was on stage but her participation was somewhere between staring off into space and hiding behind another kid. She’s not a kid that likes an audience.

So when we found out about her latest recital we hoped that she would sing, but expected that she would not. As you’re about to see, she DID perform! She even smiled a little! We were so shocked and proud of her. Although she did try to pick a fight. She’s kind of a stickler when it comes to rules. This one being, the old people clap, not us kids.

Another thing we’ve come to learn about these recitals is that getting a good place to take pictures is hard. Some parents are…ummm…let’s just say challenging. So I decided that instead of judging them silently when they stood in front of me even though I’m very clearly there taking pictures (I am not still mad, really), I would take the high road. Literally. I rented a telephoto lens and went towards the back of the auditorium where I was above everyone and there is plenty of room. I left with some good shots and I didn’t get mad at anyone. This tactic will certainly be something I consider in the future.

Proud Grandpa

I’m hoping it’s a coincidence, but she also fabricated her first lego firearm right before the event. She’s clearly very proud of it.